RNA expression profiles from blood for the diagnosis of stroke and its causes.

A blood test to detect stroke and its causes would be particularly useful in babies, young children, and patients in intensive care units and for emergencies when imaging is difficult to obtain or is unavailable. Whole genome microarrays were used to show specific gene expression profiles in rats 24 hours after ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, hypoxia, and hypoglycemia. These proof-of-principle studies revealed that groups of genes (called gene profiles) can distinguish ischemic stroke patients from controls within 3 to 24 hours after the strokes. In addition, gene expression profiles have been developed that distinguish stroke due to large-vessel atherosclerosis from cardioembolic stroke. These profiles will be useful for predicting the causes of cryptogenic stroke. The results in adults suggest that similar diagnostic tools could be developed for children.